


Don't

by crystallized-iron (Somiko_Raven)



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, M/M, Not Fluff, Past Relationship(s), Prompt Fill, Tumblr Prompt, Vampire Peter Parker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 04:05:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19221229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somiko_Raven/pseuds/crystallized-iron
Summary: Harley returns to Earth for the first time in years with his now sister Nebula, seeking out...somethingfor Thanos.Prompt: “I didn’t mean to fall in love with them, it just kind of happened”





	Don't

**Author's Note:**

> [Original prompt list](https://serving-inspiration.tumblr.com/post/163430783242) made by [serving-inspiration](https://serving-inspiration.tumblr.com/) on tumblr.
> 
> Prompt 50: “I didn’t mean to fall in love with them, it just kind of happened”

The wind whipped around him, rattling branches and rustling leaves. The thin shirt did absolutely nothing to protect Harley from Earth’s weather. Why did they come back? Why did he have to return to a world that dealt him so much pain?

“Good job, kid.”

_Tony?_

He spun around, seeing a father and son walking on the next street. They must be heading home. Street lamps lit their way, the sun already down.

There was a pounding ache in his chest as he watched. _Of course it wasn’t him. He’s dead._

What a cruel trick it was. Earth thought itself so clever. He wouldn’t miss it.

He wouldn’t miss anything.

“You are distracted.”

Fists clenched and eyes narrowed. “His fault for bringing us here.”

“Your home planet.”

“I hate it.”

The young blue female watched him with keen eyes. “You missed it.” When no response was given, she added, “If you don’t, you have no need to worry. It will be destroyed once we have what we need.”

He turned to her but avoided eye contact, feeling a queasy flutter in his stomach. “I don’t even know what your father needs. You’ve all been careful to keep me in the dark.”

“It’s easier if you don’t know.”

“How? I’m from here, I can help you find whatever material you need.” A step was taken toward her. “Nebula, what does he need?”

Nebula remained silent as she closed the gap between them. They had known each other only a few short years after Thanos had attacked a ship from SHIELD that was stranded in the dark, quiet void of space. Power had been dead, food and water nearly out, when they found them. The rest of the crew fought, but not Harley. No, he was ready to accept death, but Thanos did not allow him his wish.

Nebula was put in charge of the boy, and she had come to view him as a younger sibling. Training him to fight filled her with a foreign feeling, but it was one that she enjoyed. To call him brother would bring a smile to her lips if she would not be punished for it.

But tonight they had a job to finish, and she found herself hesitant to put it into motion.

“Nebula?” Harley spoke to her in an uncertain tone. It wasn’t like her to stall. “Nebula, what is it?”

“I’m sorry, Harley,” she whispered.

“About what?”

Emotions, filthy things that made everything they touched a mess. They made her vision blur but she shoved it all down, all of it, and took up her knife and sliced it across his chest.

It burned, warm blood that cooled drastically as it seeped out of the wound and into the surrounding fabric. He gasped and brought his hand to it, the sticky fluid sliding between his fingers.

It wouldn’t be long now. The bait was set.

Nebula went out of sight, but felt a wetness on her uniform, seeing her brother’s blood, a reminder of what she had done. But it was necessary. For their father. Whether it was what she wanted to do or not was irrelevant. Harley’s wants were irrelevant. Everything they did was for Thanos.

With a heavy sigh, she looked back. There they were; the vampires.

These were what Thanos was after. Immortality. Their very existence held the secret to it.

And Harley had been oh so kind as to let slip just how close he was to the things.

* * *

Harley looked up, his shaky breaths the only sound between him and the vampires. He thought back to the days he begged to be like them. Tony and Bucky both refused.

And then came that night…

“Harley!”

There he was, the boy that got the dark gift instead of him.

_Peter._

Peter ran up to him, easily tearing the shirt to get to the wound. “Oh crap, this looks bad.”

“He’s not alone,” stated another that Harley only vaguely recognized.

“So? Mr. Stark would try to save him!”

_Stark…_

Harley felt cold, tired, done.

“Peter!”

“I’m _not_ letting him die!”

Eyes closed, Harley tried to remember his mother, his sister, and Tony, the man that would be more of a father to him than his old man ever was. Soon he would be with them.

Soon…

But something cold and bitter filled his mouth and his body made an involuntary yet greedy swallow. It traveled down his throat and felt like an ember that slowly intensified in heat until he was so sure flames were traveling through his veins.

Why? It shouldn’t - it shouldn’t be like this!

Pounding, pounding, and more pounding, echoing in his skull like a loud drum. Two beats at a time. So fast. So fast…

The fire in him was dying and he heard whispers. A cold hand held onto his. He opened his eyes and there he was again.

_Peter._

“H-Harley, are you with me? Hey.”

The pounding was slowing, lessening.

His eyes were so focused. Details he never noticed now revealed their full intricacy. His ears picked up every murmur around them and he looked at the clan.

Their scenery had changed. The creatures abducted him while he was… while he was what?

But wait… this place looked familiar. Too familiar. Chipping creamy-yellow paint stained with who knows what adorned the flat walls. The same, typical design of most of the rooms in this old apartment building. The building where he lived. The building where he met Tony and Bucky when he was a child.

The vampires must have taken over when it was condemned. _Too many murders, found the bodies all around the place._

How perfect for the murderous creatures.

“What did you do to her?” Harley questioned as he pushed the memories away and forced his thoughts onto Nebula instead, but he had to pause when he heard the new strength in his own voice.

“Nothing, nothing,” Peter quickly tried to assure him. “We took you and ran.”

“Because you panicked and triggered a transformation against his will,” stated a petite redhead, her eyes observing Harley’s every single move.

“He was going to die if I didn’t,” Peter argued.

“He looked fine with it to me.”

“No!”

“You’re too young to know when to let things happen,” said a blond male in the corner, “or when to step in.”

Harley sat up and found Peter’s hand around his own. The sight of it uncovered buried feelings, bringing back to life dead smiles and muffled promises. “Peter.”

The other boy pulled his hand back. “I’m sorry… Harley?” Peter noticed with a start that there was the glistening of tears in Harley’s eyes. “I’m sorry I turned you! They’re right, I panicked, and, and -”

“Stop. Just stop.”

The blond left his corner. “If you need us, Peter…” He didn’t need to finish, the rest following him out of the room.

Harley kept his eyes on the door, refusing to look at Peter. Too much was happening. His body felt so new to him. He looked at his hands. When he was a child, the first thing he noticed about Tony and Bucky was how pale they were. Now he was just like them… like the father he wanted…

Peter watched in silence. The first moments after transformation were stressful, but Harley seemed to take it incredibly well. “Harley.” Harley ignored him, so he continued. “Harley, look. I know you hate me -”

“So you tie me to you.”

Peter shook his head. “I-I couldn’t let you die. If Mr. Stark were here -”

“ _Stop_!” Harley scowled at him. “Do not say his name.”

“I know you miss him. I miss him too.” Reaching over, Peter took Harley’s hand once more. “I also miss _us_. Don’t you? Can we really never go back to that, even now?”

Harley gently tugged his hand back and Peter let go. Instead of replying, he checked his holster. “You didn’t disarm me.”

“Kind of dangerous to try reaching for it when you’re writhing in pain from the transformation,” Peter informed but then added, “I am so sorry for that.”

“I know you are, Peter.” Harley stood, Peter following his lead. “And you know we can’t go back.”

“Harley, please… We can work things out, I know we can.”

Shaking his head, he whispered, “We can’t.”

“But, Harley -”

Their mouths met one last time. A kiss so cold, a shiver shared.

The barrel of a gun pressed against a former lover’s chest.

Peter stared at Harley. “Don’t do this.”

“If things had played out differently…”

“Harley… Harley, please don’t.”

Harley used the gun to push Peter into a wall. “I don’t want to, Peter, but you know I have to.”

“No you don’t! Please… please, let’s just go back to what we were. We were _happy_. Don’t you remember?”

“I do.” Harley turned his head when he heard her nearby, the telltale sounds of circuitry.

Peter noticed too. “Harley, you can’t leave.”

“I can’t stay.”

“No, no, Harley, the master thing -”

But Harley turned to the wall as it crumbled, revealing Nebula, armed and ready to take him back.

“Harley!” Peter shouted but Harley ran out to join her as she fired a lightning ball at Peter, shocking his body into temporary paralysis.

The two boarded her waiting vessel. As the doors closed, she gave him a quick observation. “Tears, brother?”

“You didn’t kill him.”

“I could try,” she said. Were they not immortal?

“No.”

She gave him a curious stare.

“I loved him,” Harley explained. “I didn’t mean to fall in love with him, it just kind of happened.”

“Emotions are distractions.”

He peered up at her. “Is that why you hesitated?”

“Yes.” She pressed a finger to his temple. “But maybe father could give you an upgrade.”

“No. I don’t want that.” As she took her hand away, Harley asked, “Did you get what you wanted?”

“Yes… unfortunately,” she told him after a moment. She went to the controls to set a course to what they called home.

Harley sat in a seat, his heart pounding. Why?

Intense dread soon spread through him. _Too far, too far, too far!_ His brain screamed at him. He clutched his chest, his body in desperate need of its _master_. The fear that tore through him the further they flew grew so intense he was in physical agony.

* * *

“Are you alright?

Peter looked up to see Steven, master of the clan that had taken him in when Bucky disappeared. “Sir, Harley’s gone.”

“I know.” He folded his arms with a sigh. “You look like shit too.”

“I feel… scared? I don’t, I don’t know.” He put a hand over his heart. It was more than just fear. Anxiety, worry… desperation?

“Because you can’t protect him right now.”

The young vampire sniffled. “Maybe someday?”

“If he lets you. Come on. I need to get you ready for if that day ever comes. Being a master is a big responsibility that yours has neglected.”

Peter bit his lip but followed, hoping that one day he and Harley would be okay again. Whatever okay for them would be.


End file.
